I Would Rather Die An Old Maid
by You'reABirdOfTheSummer
Summary: It's been four years since Robin set foot in Nottinghamshire. To some people, he's the hero they've been waiting for, to others he's an outlaw to be killed. But to Marian?
1. Memories

It was May the first. 

Marian sat quite still, gazing at her reflection in the elegant mirror standing on her dressing table. May the first always made her uneasy. As she looked at her own face, staring solemnly back at her, she thought back to this day, exactly twelve years before. 

_It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and her father, who had been sheriff for a good number of years , had declined holding May Day celebrations at the Nottingham castle, and had instead decided to take the seven year old Marian to Locksley, where they had been invited to attend the celebrations as the guests of the Earl of Huntingdon. The Earl was not your typical nobleman, for a start he was only a few years older than Marian herself, having lost his father, and gained his title at a very young age, Marian's own father doted on Robin, just like a son. Marian spent the day laughing and dancing, and joining in the general frivolities. By the time she was called to the carriage by her father, at the end of the day, she was in very high spirits, Robin had tried to teach her how to hold his bow correctly, and even complimented her dress. The journey back to Nottingham, was quiet. With only her, and her father in the carriage, she tried to make conversation, but he hardly responded, he looked grave for some reason. Marian was curious, but decided to say nothing of it. It was probably something about his work, which she would not understand. They were nearing the town of Nottingham when her father initiated conversation himself, he cleared his throat and lifted his gaze from the floor for the first time. _

"_Marian, I spoke to Lady Locksley today," he stated. _

"_Robin's mother?" she asked._

"_Indeed. I feel it time you understood something, something very important indeed."  
"Father, what on earth do you mean?" She asked her eyebrows furrowed.  
"When you were born. I made a promise to your mother," he said slowly. This was very odd, her father hardly ever spoke of her mother. He had loved her very, very much, she had died shortly after giving to birth to Marian, their first, and only child. Her father had been devastated at her death, as hadthe residents of those villages over which they had presided. There were memoriams in her honour held in villages all across the shire. She was a beloved and well respected woman. It has always saddened him so much to think of her, that they usually avoided the topic of conversation. "I promised that I would do everything in my power to make sure you were always exceptionally well looked after." He paused. " All too soon their will come a time when that is not within my power. To ensure that you will always be well off, since you were born you have been betrothed t-"  
"What?" Marian interrupted. "To who?"  
"You must understand, what an excellent match this is for you, how you will always be safe," he insisted.  
"Who is it, Father?" Marian asked again, her voice shaking slightly. She had heard stories up at the castle, of young girls, bartered by their fathers, and forced to become the wife of elderly Lords in far away shires. _

"_The late Earl of Huntingdon, and I agreed, you are to marry his son and heir, Robin of Locksley," he stated. Marian could not help but breath a slight sigh of relief. Robin, just robin. Not some stranger, far away. Her father took heart in her relief, and temporary acceptance of his plans. _

_It wasn't until later, when she was alone, in her bed chamber in the castle, that she let slip any indication that she was not happy about being betrothed. She would not tell her father, who must have worked very hard to have her betrothed to a man of the title Earl. But she sobbed, sobbed just like the child she was, as all children do, when something happens to them, beyond their control and to their displeasure. She was not crying about her being to marry, Robin, but more of the fact she no longer had the choice. She cried for a few minutes before she pulled her self together. Being quite a sensible girl, she reasoned with herself._

"_No," she thought. "I could do a lot worse. Nothing will become of my tears. Instead of Marian of I will be Countess of Huntingdon, and I will live in Locksley manor, with lots of servants, and I will never go hungry, and I won't be far from my father, and I will only marry Robin. My friend Robin.  
Just Robin._

_And with that comforting thought, she drifted into sleep, after a very long day. _

Marian's mind then skipped forward to a few years, when she was thirteen years old.

_She spent May Day that year at the castle. All the elderly and important nobles in the shire came, she was made to curtsey and be gracious and ladylike all day, for now she was expected not to act like a child. The majority of the day was repetitive and dull. She was not permitted to play with the children, even with those of her own age, because she was the Sheriffs daughter. _

_Around mid afternoon she was stood gazing out the window, watching birds flying through the sky, and wondering what it would be like to be as free as them. _

"_Pssst," came a voice from along the long, draughty corridor. She spun round quickly, her long dress billowing around her. She stepped forward curiously, looking for the voice. As she walked down the corridor she suddenly felt pressure on her arm, and she was pulled sideways into a doorway. _

_There she stood extremely close to a boy with a smirk on his face._

"_Robin?" _

"_My lady," he said. Moving his hand from her arm, to her own hand, and lifting it slowly to lips.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked. "I thought you were not coming?"  
"I spent the morning in Locksley. But I thought I should come here this afternoon, to show willing to converse with my fellow noblemen," he said, still smirking._

"_I mean what are doing here, in this doorway," she whispered. "And shh, you must lower your voice, this is highly improper. If we are found."_

"_Am I not allowed to come and see you?" He said, lowering his voice. "Besides, I managed to slip away unseen from the Earl of Wessex." Marian smiled despite herself. "I haven't seen you in so long," he said, suddenly losing his jovial tone. "I've missed you." _

_She looked into his deep brown eyes, "I've missed you too," she whispered. _

_As soon as she had said, they heard footsteps. The sound of heavy booted feet on stone brought them back into the reality, they had momentarily lost, whilst looking into each others eyes. _

_Marian's eyes widened, she was going to be caught alone with a boy. She would be in so much trouble.  
Robin looked down at her, and pressed a finger to his lips. He pressed his back against the wall of the doorway, and gestured to her to do the same. They stood their in tense silence as they listened to the footsteps get nearer and nearer. Marian prayed silently that the man did not want to pass through this doorway, and they would get away unscathed. Her prayers were answered as she caught a glimpse of her father's deputy, walking quickly past them, eyes to the ground. They waited until his footsteps died away, then let out a sigh of relief.  
"That was close," Marian breathed. Bells rang from somewhere in the castle. "You must go, that is a signal for the nobles to assemble before the feast." _

"_I'd rather stay," Robin whispered, the smirk returning to his face. _

"_It's not a choice, go now. I will be there in a few minutes, we can not return together._

_Robin agreed, "Fine, but as we are being highly improper already. We might as well, do it properly."_

"_Wha-" Marian started, but she could not finished. Robin's lips were on hers. They wrapped their arms around each other and carried on kissing until a second bell rung. _

"_Go!" Marian whispered urgently. Still slightly reeling from her first kiss. He looked torn, but let go of her, and started off down the corridor. She poked her head out of the door way to watch him leave, but when he got half way down the corridor he turned round and sprinted back toward her.  
"Here," he said, taking her hand with both of his. "Think of me, think of me whenever you wear this," he said, his voice lowered. He stroked her cheek and planted one last kiss on her lips, before he sprinted back down the corridor toward the feast of nobles. Marian looked down at her hands, and saw a simple gold locket, unadorned apart from a tiny key hole. She tried to force it open, but to no avail. She did not have the key. She quickly put it round her neck, tucked it under the material of her dress, and headed toward the feast herself. _

Marian grimaced at the memory, it was happy. But it saddened her so. Her mind automatically skipped forward.

_She was back in Locksley, it was a beautiful day, which reminded her very much of that same day, eight years ago. Robins mother had died the year before, but she had had a long, and comfortable life. This was the first May Day without her, and Robin and Marian had been officially engaged for two months, they were to be married on the first of April, exactly one month away. Robin had asked her to walk with him in the afternoon, so they took a stroll. When they were in a wild flower meadow, overlooking all of Locksley, and the manor, they sat down._

"_I have something to tell you," Robin stated. Marian just raised her eyebrows questioningly. She was so happy. Everyone had remarked how agreeable and radiant she had been lately. They all put it down to the engagement, which was probably correct. Long ago was the time when she was worried about having her marriage arranged, because now she counted herself as one of the lucky few, who had been betrothed since birth, to the only person she could have wanted to marry. _

"_I'm going on crusade," Robin murmured. So that she could hardly hear him. _

"_What?" she asked._

"_I'm going to the Holy Land, on a crusade," he whispered._

"_But why?" she asked._

_To fight in the name of King Richard," he said. _

"_Robin... we are engaged to be married, in one month," she stammered. Tears filling her eyes._

"_I know," he said regrettably._

"_But you are going anyway?" She asked. Robin nodded. "And there is nothing I can do to change your mind?" Robin nodded again. Looking at the floor. "When are you leaving?"_

"_The end of April," he said quietly. Tears streamed down Marian's cheeks. She stood up. _

"_Look at me," she said, her voice shaking. He lifted his gaze from the floor, to her eyes. "You said you loved me."  
"I do-" _

"_Do not say that," she interrupted. "If you loved me, you would not chose your only personal glory over me."  
"I do love you," he insisted, standing up as well.  
"But not as much as you love glory, and you love yourself," she said angrily. She wrenched the ring from her finger. "You have made your decision," she whispered, sobs threatening to overtake her. She took a deep breath and said, "there will be no wedding." She threw the ring at him._

"_Marian please-"_

"_No." She said shrilly. "There will be no reason for you to ever speak to me again. Goodbye Robin." And without any more of a farewell than that she fled, as fast as she could down the hills toward the village, sobbing her heart out. She heard Robin calling her back as she ran. But she did not turn to look at him. She ran straight to her father, and demanded he take her home immediately. He obliged, worried for his young daughter. But it was two days, before she had stop crying enough to tell him. _

_Robin had tried to talk to her many times before he left but her father's men put a stop it to it, each time, before he got within a mile of the castle. He left without another glimpse of her and she did not leave her bed chamber for months, spending days on end weeping. _

_She was fifteen years old.  
_

It was four years since Robin left. Her father was no longer the sheriff and Marian was nineteen years old. Still the beautiful and graceful young lady Robin had left behind so long ago. But in his absence she had also grown headstrong and defiant. As she was still unmarried the people of Nottinghamshire believed her to be either waiting for his return, or that she was so wounded by the end of their engagement that she resigned herself to die an old maid. Neither were correct in her opinion. True, she would rather die an old maid, than fall in love again -and her father was too perturbed by the first attempt to try and coax her into marriage again. He had too much love for his only child to put her through that again. So therefore she had no reason to marry. She was the heir of her father's fortune, she did not need a husband. 

Today she was to attend the May Day celebrations at the castle with Sir Guy of Gisborne. She was not particularly looking forward to it, Sir Guy had taken up Robin's position at Locksley in his absence, and since then had become deputy and man-at-arms to the new sheriff. It would have been imprudent to reject him.

She heard the sounds of horse shoes out side, and with a deep breath Marian rose for her chair before the mirror.


	2. Unwelcome

Marian joined her father outside the manor at Knightley, where he stood, with Sir Guy. Who jumped off his jet black stallion and shook her fathers hand respectfully.

"I hope you're not thinking of taking my daughter to the castle on the back of a horse now," he laughed.

"Not at all Sir, I have a carriage following, if I may leave my horse in your stable?" he said bowing his head.  
"Be my guest, I shall have someone take care of it for you," he said. "Ah Marian, I was wondering where you had got to."  
Guy strode over to her and bowed low, on one knee, taking her hand and kissing it softly. "My lady," he said in his deep husky voice. She couldn't help but recoil a touch, and she was unsure if he had noticed. But that was what Robin had used to call her.

"It's a pleasure Sir Guy," she said, curtseying as he straightened up, forcing a smile onto her face, she hoped it didn't look to much like a grimace.

"The pleasure is all mine, you look... incandescent," he complimented her. She was wearing her hair down, so it fell around her waist, but pushed back off her face with a delicate gold head band. With a long blue dress which matched her eyes. She thanked him and the carriage he promised trundled into the yard.

"Goodbye father, I'll see you later," she said, with a smile. He going to the Locksley celebrations, rather than those at the castle.

He bid her farewell, and Sir Guy held her hand as she ascended into the carriage. The journey did not take to long, and soon enough they were entering the castle walls.

Sir Guy was a handsome man, but he was not loved by his villagers, as Robin had been. He was tough on them. But Marian did not believe that he was cruel, she believed the sheriff was cruel, and that the Sir Guy didn't have a choice but to obey him.

She did not like visiting the castle nowadays, when she lived here, with her father as sheriff, it was lively and everyone was in good spirits. But now it was gloomy, and the peasants resented the nobility, except her, they regarded her with a mixed sense of pity, and fondness. The old castle still looked the same as when it had been her childhood home, but it had lost something, the atmosphere.

She feasted in the banquet hall, to Guy's left side and talked with many important nobles. After they had eaten it was the custom to dance. The tables where moved and a band started to play.

"May I have this dance," Sir Guy said with a bow. Marian curtseyed and consented.

Half way through the first dance the heavy oak doors, flew open.

Everybody in the hall froze, silent. The band stopped playing and everyone stood in awe.

Except Marian, she felt a knot of resentment form in her stomach as she recognised the two men. Her former fiancé and his man servant.

"Well I was expecting a little more of a welcome, I must confess," one of the two men the doorway said. His eyes sweeping across the crowd, and lingering for a second longer than necessary on Marian. "Where is the sheriff?"

"Who the hell are you?" said the sheriff stepping forward.

"Robin of Locksley, Earl of Huntingdon." he said. "Where is the sheriff."

The sheriff said impatiently through gritted teeth. "I am the sheriff."  
"What happened to Sir Edward?" he asked, frowning.

"My father went into retirement three years ago, and for your information he is in Locksley. You are welcome to go and find him," she said, glaring, still in Guy's arms.

"Marian..." Robin breathed.

The sheriff intervened and started to talk to him about Locksley. The crowd started to talk and eventually the band started to play again. Marian could feel it was about her and Robin. But she didn't mind. Dignity, was all that mattered to her in this situation.

Sher finished her dance with Guy and and then danced with other noblemen.  
"May I have the next dance Marian," someone whispered in her ear.

She spun round and saw Robin, smirking just like he used to.  
"No," She seethed.

"I'm not sure you heard me," he whispered again. Then he raised his voice. "May I have the next dance Lady Marian." People looked round to see her reaction, it would have been highly ungracious to refuse, so she had not choice but to agree.

He led her by the hand to a less crowded space. Holding her closer than necessary.

"How are you?" he asked slowly.

"Fantastic." She said curtly. Looking over his shoulder and not at him.

"Not very courteous this evening," he remarked. She didn't respond. "I've missed you," he murmured.  
"You've said that to me before," She said.

"I remember," he murmured again. "Please look at me." She turned her head a fraction and looked him straight in the eye.

"I've said that once before her," I stated. He stiffened.

"Why was I threatened with swords every time I tried to see you," he asked.

"Because I didn't want to see you," she said. Deliberately missing out the part about her weeping, and trying to change the subject. "Get your glory in the holy land?"

He laughed slightly, "I was part of King Richard's private guard, sent home with his special honours."

"Congratulations, I'm glad it was worth it," she said, slightly spitefully.

"Why are you so hostile towards me? I mean other than the obvious?" he whispered in her ear, so not to be overheard. His lips brushing her hair.

"Because whilst you have been gone on your own glory hunt, people here have been suffering. The people of Locksley have been starving, Robin. Without your protection, so many people have been hanged for trivial matters. My father was usurped, the remaining nobles killed or bribed, and the new sheriff is a callous murderer. All of which you could have stopped." She murmured back, making sure no one else could hear their whispered conversation.  
"How can I make it up to you, to the people?"

"You can't," she whispered. "It's too late, the only thing you can do now is conform to the new sheriffs orders and keep your head down or you will lose your lands and your title, and then what use will you be?"

"I will make it up to them, and to you. I promise," he whispered, gazing down at her.

"Do you mind?" said the deep voice of Sir Guy.

"Can I help you?" Robin said, frowning.

"You're getting quite close to the woman who is accompanying me to this event," he replied, eyes narrowed.

"I think you'll find, we are betrothed."

"Pardon?" he spat.  
"Excuse me?" She demanded. He just grinned and gave her a wink. She turned, "Sir Guy will you please take me home. I am suddenly finding the company here intolerable."  
"Of course, I shall go arrange the carriage," he said, giving Robin a glare.

She rounded on Robin. "You made your decision, and trying to humiliate me in public will not lessen the offence you made against me."

She turned to leave, but Robin grabbed her arm. She did not turn.

"You look absolutely beautiful," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear again. "My apologies for being... improper."

She left without a looking back at him.


	3. Charity and Interruptions

Marian was sat, embroidering, which her father had been telling her to get on with for weeks. She was out in the garden, enjoying the fresh spring air. Sitting with her needle work spread out over the bench under the drawing room window she could just hear when the voices started inside.

"Sir Edward," said an unknown voice. "Have you heard the news?"

"No, what are you talking about?" said the voice of her father.

"Robin of Locksley, he has been stripped of his power, and lands," said the rushed voice.

Marian bit her lip and her brow furrowed in concern.

"How has this happened?" said her fathers voice.

"He freed all the people due for hanging, threatened to shoot the sheriff if he did not hand over all the money in the room."

"Has he gone mad?" Her fathers voice said loudly.

"Five hundred pounds, given to the people of the shire. Those in direst need." Said the voice. "He's been given outlaw status. He's to hang." Marian's heart dropped.

"An outlaw!" Exclaimed her father. "That man is of noble blood! The Earl of Huntingdon to hang!"

"Guy of Gisborne has been given his lands, and power. Indefinitely," said the voice.

"It's an abomination, the people of Locksley have lost it all, the only thing they hung onto was the hope of his return, now what do they have?"

"That's the thing Sir, he escaped the gaol." Said the voice. Marian breathed a sigh of relief. "He has vowed to provide for the suffering people of Nottingham. Rumour has it, he is living in Sherwood with a group of other dead men, who have joined his cause," informed the voice.

"He is a good man. Although I can help but think he would do better to leave this place, run, hide. Somewhere safe. He could start a new life, but alas he would not do it I don't suppose, not whilst there is suffering in Locksley."

"I have something else to tell you Sir Edward," said the voice.

"What is it?"  
"Your daughter, I'm afraid she might be targeted. She was engaged to Locksley after all," he said.

"What do you propose?"  
"Gisborne has shown some interest in her has he not? I feel it would be in her best interest to play that to her advantage. He means protection," he said.

"I can't advise her that. She would never. I would not even try," her father said.

"Very well Sir Edward, then she must keep her head down, or risk trouble with the sheriff," said the voice.

"She intelligent, she will be safe," her father assured the voice.

The men must have moved from near the window, because Marian could no longer hear their conservation. Marian swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. Was this a product of what she had said to Robin, had what she said made him leave all this worldly possessions, his home, just to prove that he could do something more than just sit in a manor all day? She had to hear the rumours for herself, she rushed inside, and met her father in the entrance.  
"Father, it's market day today in Locksley, and I have run out of thread. May I go?" she asked, making up the excuse, usually she would not have asked. Just told. But she wanted to keep her father happy. He consented and within ten minutes she was riding her horse toward the village. She reached it and despite it being market day, there was no stalls and sellers. She dismounted her horse and approached the nearest person. A woman who must have been about thirty, but who looked haggard and exhausted, hunched on the floor.

"Excuse me, madam," she said softly. "Where is the market today?"

"There aint no market today ma'am," she croaked. "Today was meant t' be a celebration of Robin's return. But there aint one of them either. Now we have to keep Gisborne and he don't stick up for us, not like Robin. We was countin' on 'im. We aint got nothin'. She then collapsed into a fit of coughing.

"Are you all right?" she asked, and crouched down, concerned.

"Ay ma'am," she coughed, nodding. "Just a bit worse for wear tha's all. Me sons, they be worse."

"How old are they?" she asked.  
"Six, eight, and twelve," she said with a smile. "They are good boys, but with their father gone. They aint got no chance, Samuel, me oldest has to work now. Down the mines, he comes home an' he does his best to take care of the rest of us. But he can't. He's only a boy. Mines aint no place for a boy."  
"Next time he comes home, tell him not to go back to the mine," she said, taking the woman's hand.

"Send him to Knightley. We need a stable boy there, I shall send him home with food, enough for all your family. And when your other boys become old enough they may come as well."

"Ma'am," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude. "Why would you do such a thing for us?"

"Because, I refuse to watch you suffer so," she said calmly.

"Thank you Ma'am," she said gripping her hand tightly, and sobbing. "When my boy comes back later, I'll send 'im straight to you. How can I ever repay this kindness?"

"Carry on being a wonderful mother to these boys," she said.

"Thank you ma'am, thank you," the woman sobbed, clutching her in a tight embrace.

"It's my pleasure," she Marian assured her, and the woman rushed off to go and tell her other two sons.

She carried on walking through the village, catching the eyes of the people she saw. Stopping and placing coins in their hands. To be greeted by embraces and thanks just like that of the woman with three sons. She stopped outside the gate of the man who usually sold thread at the market. The old man came out, limping.

"May I have some blue thread please Sir?" she asked.

He nodded and shuffled back inside his house, placing it into her hand without speaking. She placed a handful of coins into his palm. He shook his head.  
"No," Marian said. "This is the right amount of money."

"This is three pounds Lady Marian. The thread, it costs a half a penny."  
"This is the right amount of money," she insisted.

"I can feed my grandkids for for months with this?" he said, dumbstruck.

"Thank you for the thread," Marian said.

"You are a good woman Lady Marian. Thank you for this," he said quietly.

"And you are a good man Wilfred. Look after those grandchildren well with that, thank you for the thread," and with that she left.

She was slowly riding home when a voice called her name from the trees beside the track. She looked over but could not see the person, in the shadows.

"Who is it?" she called.

"Much," the voice replied.

"Much? Come out of the forest," she said.  
"I can't, this road might be being watched and the others do not know am I here, please, get off your horse and adjust the saddle or something, I must speak with you, unseen," he said urgently. She obliged and he continued. "I have to speak with you about my master."

"Robin?"

"Yes, you must know how he has suffered for you," he said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"In the Holy Land, he called your name in his sleep." He said. "Sometimes he screamed it, screaming he was sorry. I was worried it would drive him mad."

"What do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Just be a little more... civil, that's all."

"I will try Much," she said.

"That's all I can asked, thank you," he said.

"Go. Now. Someone is coming," she said remounting her horse and going on her way.

Her father had agreed with her appointing a stable boy, and by late afternoon Samuel had arrived at the house. He was covered in soot, and was wearing ripped clothes.

As soon as Marian saw this small boy she called for the housemaid.

"Please draw this boy a bath Mary! Look at him."

"Yes Ma'am, I have some old clothes, from when my boy was a lad. They aint nothing special, but they would be a lot better than what he has on at the moment," she said.

"That would be marvellous Mary, thank you. I will get him some dinner."

"Look in larder Ma'am," she said before rushing off.

Marian brought out a tray of food, quickly and the boy's eyes lit up.

"Is that turkey miss?" he exclaimed. Marian laughed an nodded. He was delighted, as soon as he had eaten he was ushered upstairs, after the housemaid beat the soot from his hair and clothes so he wouldn't drop it through the house.

After showing Samuel the stables and letting him meet the horses, Marian and him set off down the lane that went to Locksley.  
"Now," she said putting a pile of packages into his arms. "Go straight home and take this to your mother. There is food and clothes in here."  
"Thank you ma'am, I am glad I don't ave to go down 'em mines again. I've got more today than I made in a month in that 'orrible place."

"You're very welcome, you have earned this. For taking care of your family all by yourself," she said.

The boy grinned and started running toward Locksley, smiling and waving as he went. Marian waited, waving back until he was out of site.

Marian sat watching the sunset from her bedroom window. Thinking about what had happened in the last few days. When a small noise from the ground caught her attention, she look over the sill and was shocked by what she saw.  
"Robin!" He was climbing swiftly up to her window. "What are you doing?" He jumped agilely through the window.

"Hello," he said, looking her up and down. Marian's cheeks flushed and she reached for her dressing gown, so she could cover her nightgown.

"What are you doing?" she repeated.

"Is this highly improper?" he joked.

"Robin! This is not the time," she hissed.

"I think it is," he said in low voice. Remember what we did the first time we were highly improper?"

"Robin! Why are you here?"  
"I need to talk to you," he said, seating himself on the chair in front of her dresser. "What were you doing in Locksley today?"

"Buying thread," Marian said calmly.

"You weren't giving coins, or jobs to people then?" he asked, narrowing his eyes knowingly.

"I don't think that is any of your business," she said curtly.

"Marian, you are good person, but if the sheriff would not be happy if he learnt of this, you know that," he said.

"How would the sheriff find out? He never leaves the castle," she asked.

"Gisborne does, he would tell him." Marian laughed.

"Guy? Say anything to the Sheriff which would put me in disrepute? I doubt it."  
"This is your fathers house, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes but you may not see him... why are you smiling?" she asked, perturbed by his sudden change of subject.

"Because," he explained. "While you live in your fathers house you remain unmarried." He grinned and her face flushed again.

"What of it?" She asked.

"Well, I would of thought a girl like you would have married by now. It's been four years. Unless..." he said teasingly.

Marian knew exactly what he was getting at.

"I do not think so Robin," she assured him. Robin raised his eyebrows. "Do not! How dare you come here and insinuate that. After everything you've done. I was fifteen years old Robin!

I was naïve, thinking I loved you, and that we could be married.

I was wrong. Do you not think I have not already heard this a hundred times? Do you think I cannot hear people in the village. Their pity. They have no money, their family are starving around them, they are maimed and taxed to high heaven by the sheriff and they pity me. But I do not need to be married Robin, I do not need to be in love with someone. Any feelings I had for you left a long time ago, with the thought that need to be provided for."

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes drifted toward the dresser.

"What's this?" he asked. Lifting a delicate gold locket in his hands. He waited for an answer which she did not give. "I would have believed those false words," he said quietly. "If it were not for this. You kept it. That's enough for me."

Marian stayed silent, face flushed. Robin rose, and fastened the golden locket around her neck.  
"I have hope," he whispered.

Then he kissed her forehead delicately, and jumped out the window, the way he had came.


	4. 4 Inconvience

**Sorry for the wait. I've been really ill :) **

"I don't understand."

"You must go," her father said solemnly to Marian. "It is the sheriff's wish that you do, he seems to think that you will be more safe at the castle."

"Safe from what?" she asked.

"There is band of outlaws on the loose Marian, and we do not know what they capable of," he said gravely.  
"Father," she said, her voice dropping to no more than a whisper. "It's just Robin."  
"That is neither here nor there, and it is not my decision at all, I would much rather you stay here. But the sheriff is doing this for your protection. You must go," his face and voice all but shouted his displeasure, but he knew as well as Marian that she had no choice but to go.

"This is utterly ridiculous," she said.

But within a few hours she was riding to Nottingham. She had insisted that a carriage was not sent to fetch her, she wanted her horse to be at the castle with her, in case she had to leave at short notice. She reached the castle without intervention and was met at the gates.

"Good afternoon, my lady," Guy of Gisbourne said holding out his hand to assist her down from her horse.

"Sir Guy," she said curtly. "Which room will I staying in whilst I am here?"  
"I have been informed my lady, that you will be residing in the bedroom which was once your own," he said.

"Very well, I have only brought a few things, I shall take them there myself," she said, authoritatively.

"The sheriff wishes to speak to you on your arrival," he said.

"Then I shall visit him as soon as I am done," she said, walking away from him.

She knew this castle probably more than anyone else, she doubted even the sheriff knew all of the secret corridors. She hastily found her old room and placed her small bag of things on the table near the door. On the bed was a white dress, with a simple note.

_It is not seemly to wear ones travelling clothes for the rest of the day,_

She rolled her eyes, and quickly put on the dress, taking in how her room had changed since she was last here. The answer was, not a lot. It still looked exactly the same. That unnerved Marian.

She went quickly downstairs to the chamber where the sheriff would be at this time of day. She knocked on the door, and heard a call from inside. She walked inside the large room, and curtseyed. "Sheriff." she said. "You wished to see me."  
"Yes, yes, Lady Marian, come in, come in. Sit," he said, oily. She obliged and took the chair he had been gesturing to. "Now Lady Marian, we have a predicament."

"What do you mean Sheriff?" she asked.

"Well, your former fiancé is on the run as an outlaw," he said, almost jubilantly.

"I have heard," Marian said in a nonchalantly.

"Does this not... bother you?" he asked, curiously.

"Of course it bothers me Sheriff," she said calmly. "My name has been besmirched merely by an association I once had with him."

"I see," the sheriff said, obviously hoping for a different answer. "So he was indeed you were engaged to me married, I thought the rumours may have been false."

"I was indeed Sheriff, I was betrothed to him since my birth," she said stiffly. "I can assure I held nothing but indifference toward him before he even left for the Holy Land."

"So it was your father's decision?" he asked, trying to draw out information from her.

"It was yes, but when Robin of Locksley was younger he would have made quite a suitable Earl, unfortunately the power went to his head, and he went of to the Holy Land, seeking glory. War changed him. He is no longer fit to be a noble, as of course he has proved by his recent antics. Do not think worse of my father, he made a good decision all those years ago, he could not tell what Locksley would become." The sheriff surveyed her for a second, apparently judging her certainty and resolve.  
He seemed satisfied.

"Is that all you wished to speak to me about Sheriff?" she asked.

"No, about the matter of you staying in the castle-"

"Sheriff I assure you that it is not necessary for me to remain here in the slightest, my father's home is secure and his men are able," she interrupted, trying to change his mind. The sheriff grinned, and looked at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Alas Lady Marian, it is not at my will you are here," he said.

"But you are the one who summoned me, are you not?" she asked, confused.

"Well yes," he agreed with a shrug. "However purely for the luxury of a bit of peace."

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked with a frown.

"Sir Guy has... pestered me. I did at first contemplating forbidding it, but he would would only whine, and mope over your safety. Anything for a quiet life." Marian sighed, and closed her eyes briefly. That man was becoming more of a hindrance to her every time he opened his mouth.

"Very well," she sighed. "I assume I will be required to remain here until the outlaws are apprehended?"

"It will not be much longer Lady Marian, I have my best men on the case," the sheriff said.  
"I do not doubt it, Sheriff though I do ask if, just encase some unforeseeable problem causes the delayed capture of the outlaws, I may be allowed to return to my father's home to collect some more of my belongings."  
"What on earth could you need?" he asked.

"Clothes?"

"I shall have them provided for you, the more freedom you are allowed the more Gisbourne will sulk around and not do his job," he said irritably.

"Am I not allowed to leave the castle?" she asked, feathers ruffled.

"That you can discuss with Gisborune, it holds none of my interest," he said waving a hand dismissively.

"Very well Sheriff, I will do just that," she said, courtesying. "Thank you for your time."

"Sir Guy?" Marian said softly from the door of the stable.  
"Marian," he replied in surprise, having just dismounted from his horse. "What are you doing out here?"

"I came to find you," Marian said sweetly, although she felt like slapping him for planning to keep in her the castle, a prisoner in its walls. Well... a prisoner with an exceptionally large and comfortable cell. But a prisoner none the less. "I just spoke with the sheriff..." she started, flattening down her dress, noticing how his eyes followed the path her hands took. "How long am I to stay here Sir Guy, my father is elderly, he cannot stay for long in the estate by himself." She lied, her voice laced with false concern. She knew her father was perfectly able to take of himself. "I am worried for him." Guy's eyes snapped back up to her face.

"It's not safe Marian," he said, looking her in the eyes. She walked slowly toward him.

"You don't know that Sir Guy... I don't expect to you to let me return just yet. That would be imprudent, but if the outlaws make no sign of an attack on Knightley, if they are not interested in me at all... may I return?" Guy's forehead furrowed. "I am sure your team will catch them very soon of course, but in case something happens..."

Guy looked at her contemplatively. "In one month. If nothing happens to make me fear for your safety, you may go."  
"Sir Guy..." Marian said, resting her hand on his arm. "This is not something I am proud of, but I know Locksley, I knew him, should I say. And when I knew him, he was rash, impulsive, unthinking. Things like that stay with a man forever, if he wishes to get to me at all. It will happen very soon, he is not one to mull things over. I assure you."

"A fortnight," Guy said sharply. Marian inwardly groaned, a fortnight was a long time, but she felt it was the best she was likely to get.  
"Thank you Sir Guy, you have put my mind at rest over my father's condition," she said with a forced smile. Guy failed to notice how it did not reach her eyes. "Within that fortnight Sir Guy, the sheriff mention you might wish me to stay in the castle-"

"Well I can't let you wander around through the countryside, it would defeat the object entirely," he interrupted.

"I quite understand," she said soothingly. "I ask only that I be allowed to walk in Nottingham, it's quite safe there. No outlaw would dare infiltrate the walls, and if they were so insensible they would be cut down in a heartbeat by your men." Guy bit his lip, and Marian looked at him with pleading eyes.  
"Very well," he said curtly. "I shall assign two men as your bodyguards however."

"Sir Guy-" she started, but was interrupted.

"It will set my mind at ease Marian."

"Don't you need them for the outlaws?" she asked.

"Two men can be spared for matter of your safety, it is very important to me," he said, almost softly. Marian swallowed uncomfortably.

"Thank you Sir Guy, I greatly appreciate your kindness," she said courtesying slightly.


End file.
